"He eventually gave in, though he made me promise not to say or do anything that might harm him."

The 41-year-old recently caused outrage among Conservative backbenchers when she appeared in a newspaper photo shoot dressed in nothing but a sheet.

Her behaviour has led to claims from some quarters that she is undermining the office of the Speaker currently held by Mr Bercow.

Bercow claimed her husband "isn't exactly thrilled" about her Big Brother appearance, which will see her rub shoulders with former X Factor contestants Jedward, David Hasselhoff's ex-wife Pamela Bach and The Only Way Is Essex star Amy Childs.

"He wasn't very pleased at the time, but he does know what I'm like, we've been married almost nine years and I do my own thing," she said.

"Because I'm married to the Speaker apparently I'm not supposed to do this sort of thing. But I am not my husband.

"I want to stick two fingers up to the establishment who think it's the kind of thing I shouldn't do."